Job Posting for Metropolitan Area Planning Council: Government Affairs Specialist

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for Metro Boston, seeks a Government Affairs Specialist to help further the public policy goals of the agency and implement the legislative components of the long-range regional plan, MetroFuture. The Government Affairs Specialist is a core member of MAPC’s legislative team, which advocates for a wide range of issues with legislators on Beacon Hill, and on occasion, on federal issues.

Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Government Affairs Manager, the Specialist will help develop the agency’s legislative agenda in areas including land use and development; transportation; affordable housing; environmental issues; regionalism and regional service delivery; youth violence prevention and other areas. The Specialist will play a leading role in identifying areas for advocacy and developing and implementing strategies to accomplish MAPC’s legislative agenda. The Specialist will also help provide legislative and advocacy support for the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA), the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance, Transportation for Massachusetts, and other allies.

The Specialist serves as the program manager for the Metro Mayors Shannon Community Safety Initiative (CSI), a collaborative effort to address youth and gang violence issues in metropolitan Boston. The Specialist provides the Metro Mayors Coalition and the North Shore Coalition with professional, technical and administrative support.

Legislative, Municipal, and policy responsibilities:

Managing and coordinating the activities of MAPC’s Legislative Committee.

Developing elements of the agency’s legislative agenda, along with policy and advocacy strategies, including leading advocacy efforts on key issues.

Preparing and drafting testimony and correspondence to legislators; meeting with legislators and legislative staff.

Working with MAPC board members, staff and other allies to implement legislative components of MetroFuture.

Convening groups of municipal officials and other allies to design programs that address issues common to the region.

Administrative responsibilities:

Preparing, receiving and maintaining correspondence.

Preparing regular progress reports and other materials for Legislative and Executive Committee and for municipal coalitions.

Providing logistical support to the legislative team.

Developing reports and other materials on MAPC activities for the Legislature, municipal officials and other allies.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in public policy, planning or a related field and four to six years of progressively more responsible related experience preferably in a public policy arena, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

State House experience strongly preferred.

Excellent written and oral communication skills are required.

Broad knowledge of state, local and federal government functions, including a general understanding of municipal governance and finance, land use planning or related fields is a plus.

The Specialist should possess the following skills:

Ability to gather information, analyze data, make recommendations and prepare written and oral reports.

Ability to work collaboratively with staff members from various departments and with agency board members.

Ability to foster and maintain collaborative relationships with local, state and regional officials, agency heads, civic groups and the public.